Wentworth Season Five: A Queen Will Rise, Episode 6 Take Me Home
by eragona1
Summary: Wentworth: Season Five, Episode 6. From the Mind of Aunty Liz. Elizabeth Ragona (Facebook #AuntyLizWW) Rated M. This is a fan-fiction story that takes place after the events in Season Four, and after my other stories for Season Five, Episodes 1 through 5. This is NOT an official story from the makers of Wentworth.
1. Chapter 1

Wentworth: A Queen Will Rise (fan-fiction)  
Season Five: Episode Six – Take Me Home  
#AuntyLizWW  
Note: includes images of extreme violence. Practice self-care.

Previously on Wentworth: A Queen Will Rise

The sound of the battle between the guards and the prisoners echoed through the empty prison halls. Joan Ferguson walked quickly down the corridor, her feet strangely quiet in her white prison sneakers. She stopped when she reached the doorway to the exercise yard where the guards and members of H1 and H3 were trying to hold off against the women of J Block. She quickly took account of the opposing sides and noticed that J Block was heavily armed with knives, kitchen tools, chains, and pots. Joan knew that if Juice and Mercado won, the balance of power would be shifted away from the administration, and they would have to answer with more stringent controls and less freedom for the prisoners. As the former governor, she relished the power that would bring. But she wasn't the governor any longer and the freedom the prisoners were allowed, gave her the opportunity to manipulate and control from within.

Joan looked through the door searching for Vera but couldn't find her. Her eyes rested on the scene of Sonia holding a viciously long kitchen knife against Allie Novak's neck. No one saw Joan Ferguson until she was standing behind Sonia. She grabbed Sonia's hand that held the knife and pulled it away from Allie, the tip of the blade cutting deeper into Allie's neck. Joan twisted and squeezed her hand and Sonia screamed in pain as bones shattered. Then she grabbed Sonia by the neck and pulled her up and away from Allie, dangling her like a life-sized doll.

"JOAN!" Kaz shouted and Joan turned to look at her. "Don't kill her."

Joan tossed her at Kaz' feet and the older woman balled up, screaming in pain as guards, police officers, and tactical officers flooded into the yard.

When the rioting crowds finally parted, Joan saw Vera lying on the ground holding her head as blood flowed between her fingers. Joan walked over and picked up the smaller woman like she was lifting a child at bedtime and carried her to the outer gate, unconcerned about the blood dripping onto her clothes. Vera looked up in shock when she realized who was carrying her. Then Joan looked down at her and when their eyes met, Vera saw just the tiniest bit of humanity in them. She wrapped her arms around the tall woman's neck and allowed herself to be carried to the waiting ambulance. Joan placed her gently on the gurney as guards and police officers watched, and then she turned around and walked back into the prison.

A week later:  
"HEY, MINI ME!" Boomer shouted and the whole group turned toward her. "Look what we have for ya!" She stepped aside and revealed a large pile of Monte Carlo's and other goodies on the table. "Welcome back!"

Mel smiled at her but that was all. Bea leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Hey? What's this?" Boomer asked.

Mel rolled the wheelchair closer to Boomer. "I can't see it, Boomer. I'm sure it's great. Is that my stash of Monte Carlo's?"

"No. Well… yeah," Boomer admitted. "What do you mean you can't see it? It's right there." She pointed to the table about five feet in front of Mel's wheelchair.

Mel turned her face toward Boomer. "I can't see, Booms."

"What? Like nuthin?" Boomer kneeled down beside Mel's wheelchair and put a hand on her arm.

Mel shook her head and Boomer just looked at her. Then she looked up at Maxine, who was trying very hard not to cry. Then she looked at Bea and her face asked what the knot in her chest wouldn't let her ask and all Bea could do was shake her head. They all watched as the information sank in and Boomer started to turn a brilliant shade of red from her neck to her ears.

Mel patted Boomer's hand that was squeezing her arm very tightly. "Boomer? Booms?" Mel patted Boomer's hand harder. "Boomer!" and she punched Boomer in the arm.

"What!?" Boomer asked and Mel looked down at her arm. "Oh! Sorry." Boomer stood up and started walking out of H1.

"Boomer, where ya going?" Bea asked.

"I'm going to kill Juice," Boomer answered rather matter-of-factly.

"Jenkins!" "Boomer!" Everyone shouted at her.

"NO!" Boomer turned on them. "NO!" She pointed down the hall toward J Block. "She doesn't get away with this! I don't give a fuck what she did to the Freak! And I'm real sorry that she bashed you and Mr. Jackson," she said as she looked at Vera.

Boomer looked at Maxine, who was slowly moving toward her. "She's part of our crew now!" Maxine nodded. "So she's like a sister." Maxine nodded again and took a step closer. "But not like my sister cuz my sister's a whore." Maxine tilted her head and gave her a half smile. "So we have to make her pay!" Boomer's hands started to shake as she paced in front of the gate.

Mel turned her wheelchair toward Boomer. "Boomer, we can't."

"Why the fuck not?!" Boomer shouted.

Mel tilted her head towards the tall woman. "The only way they would send me back was if I promised to not get revenge."

"Why the FUCK did you do that?!" Boomer asked incredulously.

"There's been so much killing already. I heard about Kim Chang and all the guards. It has to stop," Mel answered in a quiet, even tone.

At the mention of Kim's name, Bea looked over at Allie, who stood next to Doreen stoically but didn't look at her.

"That's bullshit!" Boomer shouted, tears starting to run down her cheeks as Maxine moved in.

"I know, Luv. I know," Maxine pulled her in and held her tightly.

"That's bullshit." Boomer began to cry and wrapped her arms around Maxine. "She has to pay. She's like a sister."

Maxine started to walk Boomer to her cell but Boomer turned and looked at Vera.

"Miss Bennett?" She looked at Vera, who raised her eyebrows at her. "Can I take Mel to H3? I'll… I'll come right back."

Vera let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and thanked the gods she wasn't going to have to try to stop Jenkins from stampeding to J Block. "Sure, Jenkins. Miss Miles will escort you."

"Thank you. Thanks, Miss Miles." Boomer nodded at them both and then walked over to the table and scooped up all the cookies and candy her arms could hold. She walked back to Mel and dropped them all in her lap. "Here. You may be blind but that don't mean you can't eat. We've got to get you strong and back on your feet."

Linda started to correct Boomer but Vera put a hand on her arm and shook her head. The blond guard shrugged her shoulders and had to jog to catch up to the women. Boomer kept up a running narrative of everything she saw as they walked down the hall while Mel just smiled.

"… and here are the bathrooms…"

"There?" Mel pointed to her left toward the strange smell of steam and bathroom cleaner.

"Yup." Boomer nodded. "And here's the corridor to J Block. But we won't go down there just yet."

Mel nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, not yet… But we will… We will," she whispered to herself.

Bea watched them go and then turned to speak to Allie but she had already walked into Bea's cell. When Bea got to the cell, she had to stop. Allie was leaning against the window, the light framing her and giving her hair a soft, golden glow. With all the things she wanted to say, Bea couldn't find any words and the two lovers just looked at each other.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Allie finally asked. The harsh tone of her voice made Bea take a mental step back and she closed the door.

"Allie, you need to know that you didn't kill Kim Chang."

"I did. I saw what she was about to do and I jumped and grabbed the knife. We twisted and when I got up the knife was sticking out of her. There was blood everywhere."

"I know. I know what that feels like. I know that smell. But it wasn't your fault."

Allie looked at her angrily. "How do you know that?! You weren't there! I was there! I know what happened! I see it every FUCKING time I close my eyes!"

"Your mind is filling things in. But you didn't kill her." Bea tried to plead with her.

"YES, I DID! I KILLED KIM CHANG!" Allie shouted.

Bea looked at her calmly. "No, my beautiful girl, you didn't."

"YOU CAN'T KNOW THAT!" Allie felt like she was about to burst with anger, filled with feelings of abandonment, deep guilt, and fear of the reprisals and revenge she knew would come.

"I can. I do. Frankie saw the forensics report. You didn't kill her."

Allie looked at Bea and waited for her to continue.

"Bridget's fingerprints were on the knife."

The shaking blond woman dropped to the floor, her hands over her face, weeping. Bea rushed over and knelt beside her. She wrapped her arms around the young woman and rocked her while they both cried.

After a while, Bea shifted so they both were sitting on the floor. Leaning against the bed, knees pulled in, Allie leaned against Bea's shoulder as she continued to cry. Relief and sadness for her friend slowly replaced the disgust and self-hatred that had been locked in her mind since that morning.

Eventually, Allie was able to take a deep breath and wiped away the tears. Bea leaned over and kissed the top of the blond head and gave her a long hug.

Allie looked up at her, love and sadness in her eyes. "You didn't tell me about your plan with Kaz."

"No."

"You promised me you wouldn't hide anything from me."

Bea nodded but couldn't look at Allie. "I tried but then everything went to hell. I'm sorry."

Allie got up from the floor and grabbed a small bundle that had been sitting on the desk. Bea saw that it was Allie's make-up bag, her purple toothbrush, and her hairbrush all wrapped in the long t-shirt she used as pajamas. Allie opened the cell door, walked out and went back to her own cell on the other side of the H1 suite. Bea sat there on the floor as she heard Allie's cell door close and lock.

S5:E6 – Scene 1

The lockdown continued for another week while Vera reclaimed her role as governess. She held a series of meetings to get to know the new guards that had been reassigned from Wolford. They treated her with a quiet respect because of the ordeal she had lived through, the fight she had lead, and though no one said it, because Joan Ferguson had saved her. In their eyes, the fact that the infamous Joan Ferguson was on Vera's side put a protective shroud of reverence around her.

She was grateful that Bridget had managed to get Linda out of the prison before the riot started. The lead guard had been saved from the fighting, burnings, and death that most of the guards had endured or witnessed and Derek Channing had promoted her to acting deputy governor while Will was on sabbatical. Vera and Linda worked to return the prison to operating condition and made plans to restore some of the key programs. Vera spent her days at her desk working on budgets and schedules, dealing contractors, and handling media inquiries, while she let Linda handle officer training and the necessary prisoner movements to shower, cook meals, and handle the nearly one ton of laundry the prison created every week.

Except for those prisoners who had been selected for kitchen and laundry duty, most of the prisoners spent their days locked in their cell blocks watching television, reading, playing card games, or just sleeping. Twice a day, calisthenics was guided by a voice over the PA system but most of the women just tuned out the cheerful voice and continued with whatever they were doing.

Bea Smith filled her days during the lockdown by reading, meditating, and drawing. During the day, she would curl up on one end of the couch with one eye on her book and another on Allie's cell door. At night, she would sit on her bed drawing until she finally fell asleep. She always kept her door wide open on the chance that Allie would come to her so they could finally talk about the prisoners' war, about Kim, and about their future.

But Allie only left her cell to shower and get her meals. Though many tried, she spoke to no one and wouldn't join them in the evening for cards or to watch TV. The young woman just stayed in her cell writing in a glue-bound notebook or reading.

Bea knew it would take time but she had to get Allie back. The war between the cell blocks had derailed their plans to live a happy life. For the first time in her life, Bea felt what it was like to be in love and she thirsted for their future, and she was willing to do anything necessary to make it happen.

Everyone looked up when the Governor walked up to the cell block and unlocked the gate. She walked in and went straight to Bea.

"Will you come with me, please?" the Governor asked. Bea raised her eyebrow, and Vera gave her the slightest nod before Bea put her book down and joined Vera for a walk out of the cell and down the empty hall. They walked in silence past the other cell blocks and down the corridor to the cafeteria. The new paint smell clouded the air but couldn't remove the memories of Mr. Fletcher and the other guards lying in charred piles on the floor, steam and the smell of burnt flesh rising from their bodies. The water from the sprinkler system may have put out the flames, and paint may have covered the scars on the wall, but nothing – not even time – would remove the images from either of their minds.

When they got to the cafeteria, Bea looked through the bars at the others waiting there while Vera opened the gate. They walked in and Bea silently looked around the room. A group of women she barely recognized from other cell blocks sat around a table near the door. Kaz was sitting on top of a table near the meal-line, her feet resting on the long seat. Joan Ferguson sat at a table in the far corner, her hands folded on the table, only her eyes showing any sign that she noticed Bea and Vera had arrived. At other tables were representatives from Juice's crew and the Asian population, which Vera had dispersed throughout the prison cell blocks. For every prisoner in the room, there were twice as many guards spread out and stationed between each of them.

Bea looked at Kaz and gave her another raised eyebrow and Kaz gave her a brief wink of an eye.

Vera turned to Bea. "Please have a seat," she said as she swiped a hand around the room. Bea went to the table that Kaz was sitting on and sat on the end of the seat. She leaned against the table casually and folded one leg over the other. Vera nodded at Bea and Bea gave her a look asking "what this was all about."

Vera looked around the room, straightened up and pulled her jacket down. "Thank you all for coming." Vera rolled her eyes at her own statement; they didn't really have a choice did they. She looked at Joan and received an unusually encouraging smile.

She laughed at herself as she looked at a young, thin woman from B Block who looked remarkably scared being in a room with some of the most notorious prisoners at Wentworth. She smiled at the girl. "Well, you didn't really have a choice, did you?" Vera smiled at the girl who shook her head and smiled at the Governor's joke. "But I really am grateful that you all have come and spent the day coming to a place where we can all work together."

Bea sat up and started to complain about her cell not being included in this meeting but Vera put her hand up to stop her.

Vera continued. "As we prepare to remove the lockdown, I knew that the only way we would move on from the situation last month, and the divisiveness that created it, would be to learn to work together to ensure a common peace." She looked at Bea. "So I put your suggestion into action."

"What suggestion was that?" Bea asked, confused.

"To create a council of representatives from each cell block who share responsibility for maintaining communication, liaise with the administration about concerns, and offer suggestions for programs." Bea nodded, remembering the suggestion she had tossed to Vera during an argument.

"This is your home," Vera said as she looked around the room. "For some of you, for only a short time; and for others, the rest of your life." She looked at Joan, who simply tilted her head. "And I think we all want the same thing – to make the best of being here for as long as we are here." She looked at the young girl near her and received a smile and an encouraging nod.

"So instead of having a top dog and a daily struggle for power, I have decided to initiate a Prisoners Council. Together with Deputy Governor Miles, who will be included as a liaison from the administration, you all will schedule work shifts, develop educational programs and activities that you feel will benefit the prison population, and help to create a prison that is drug and alcohol-free. Everyone here wants to help the women better themselves and be prepared for life on the outside." Everyone nodded.

"The best way to do that is to work together." Everyone nodded and Vera heard a couple of yeses around the room. "In male prisons like Wolford, their deeply ingrained system of domination and retaliation based on the use of power and fear doesn't rehabilitate prisoners. They turn boys who make one mistake into men who will spend their lives in and out of prison." She put her hand on the shoulder of the girl beside her. "And we don't want that for Chrissy here." Chrissy looked up at her and softly shook her head. Vera walked through the center of the cafeteria and looked first at Kaz and then Bea. "Or for Allie." They shook their heads.

"We want to help return them to their families, their children, their partners." Vera looked at Joan. "The name of this facility is 'Wentworth Correctional" and we want to correct what the world has done to make these women into criminals. We want to give them the tools to hold jobs, avoid drugs, reduce recidivism, and if necessary, find a way to stand on their own. And this group has the experience and leadership to do that. We will create a new Wentworth! Together!" The room broke into applause and banging on the tables.

Vera turned in the center of the cafeteria and looked into the eyes of each woman. She could tell which ones were skeptical and which truly believed her, and it was about even. When her eyes settled on Bea, there might have been flashing lights over her head, the skepticism was so apparent.

"What's the catch?" Bea asked as the room finally settled down.

Vera looked at her and squinted her eyes. Now for the big finish, she thought to herself. "The catch is that these women have unanimously voted for you as the leader of the council. Each and every woman here speaks for their cell block. And each and every woman here has asked me to ask you to lead them. You will have an equal voice like everyone else but you are the tie-breaker in any vote."

Bea was taken aback and worried that this would conflict with her goal of winning Allie back. "Can I refuse?" Bea asked.

"No," Joan answered before Vera could. She stood up and walked around the table toward Bea. "This is everything you wanted." She swirled her finger like she was stirring a pot. "Since I've met you, you have preached about a drug-free prison, safety for the women, and against the top dog mentality. How many times have you tried to walk away from that role? And how many times have you been thrust back into it in order to protect the people you care about?" Joan crouched down in front of Bea. "And now everyone here has agreed to join you in your mission – even me." She ticked off the points on her fingers. "No drugs. Collaboration with the administration. No top dog. An equal vote for everyone. And they voted for you," she tapped on Bea's chest, "as their leader. We all did." Joan stood up and held her hand out to Bea. "Take the position and let's all work together to fix what's been wrong for so long."

Bea stood up and looked around the room at all of the women nodding their heads at her. She looked at Vera, whose face said so many things. "Please," her mouth moved silently. Then Bea looked at Kaz. She too was nodding, but in a way that almost said, "This is inevitable. Go ahead and do it." And she made a pushing motion toward Ferguson. Bea looked at Joan and, for the first time since she had met her, didn't find a combination of distaste and distrust. When she took Joan's hand, the room burst into a thundering applause.

"Wonderful!" Vera thumped her on the back and handed her a sheet of paper as they all began moving toward the door. "Here is a list of rules and things we've already agreed on. Meetings are Mondays at 1400 hours. All decisions must be made by a majority. The lockdown will be lifted the day after tomorrow. The council will have a breakfast meeting tomorrow to discuss what needs to happen for that to occur safely.

As the prisoners were escorted back to their cell block with the good news, each one thanked her as they left, finally leaving Bea alone with Vera to walk the rest of the way back to H Block. Bea fell into a pensive silence and Vera asked her what she was thinking.

"I'm wondering how I'm going to tell Allie. What do I say to her?"

"Tell her you're finally making a safe place for you both. Where you're both not in constant danger of being shivved in the yard or raped in the shower because someone wants your power. Each cell has someone with just as much power, and who is just as vulnerable as you are. We will run this prison like women – equally, progressively, together. And everyone will be safer and happier because of it."

Bea stopped and put her hand on Vera's arm. "Do you really believe that?" Bea asked incredulously.

Vera put her hand over Bea's. "I HAVE to. I cannot lose any more guards to the horrible violence and the…" she choked as the images of Fletcher came to view in her mind. "We have to find a way to move forward…" Bea saw the tears well in the smaller woman's eyes. "And the only way I can see us doing that is to do it together."

Bea nodded, trying to hold back her own tears. Prisoners had died too. And Bea knew that Allie would never forget how Bridget looked after being tortured, she would never get over believing that she had killed Kim Chang, and she would never forget how the blade felt against her neck. She thought of Bridget and wondered how she and Frankie were. And she wondered what was going to happen to Juice, Tina Mercado, and Sonia. So much blood was spilled that night and they had so much to answer for. Would it be possible to move on without meting out justice, would it be possible to simply paint over what had happened and not hold anyone accountable?

"Probably not," the former top dog thought to herself. "But if we can keep it limited and focused, then maybe we won't set up the prison for another war."

Bea looked at Vera and put on her most encouraging smile. "Okay. Let's do this."

Vera wrapped her arm around Bea and gave her a sideways hug. "Great! Thank you."

The women of H Block gathered around Bea as Vera locked the gate behind her. "What happened?" "What's going on?" "What did she want you for?" They questioned.

Bea raised her hands to silence them and said the first thing that came to mind. "The lockdown will be lifted on Wednesday." She could hear the cheering roll through the halls as the news spread. Plastic cups clanked on the metal bars and music blared in the cells. The whole prison filled with excitement at the thought of seeing friends from other cells and getting back to their classes and work shifts, and spending time outside in the warm Australian Spring. Everyone wanted to put the recent events behind them and finally get back to their "normal" lives.

Bea found Allie on the edge of the women crowding around her and gave her a smile but it wasn't returned. Allie turned and went back to her cell, closing the door behind her.

Liz watched Allie leave and patted Bea on the arm. "Give her time, Love. Give her time."

As the women started making plans for Mel's birthday party and seeing friends who they missed, Bea thought that perhaps the Prisoners Council wasn't a bad thing. It would let her share the power and give her time to work on winning Allie back. She wanted that; she needed that. She needed Allie and the plans they had made for a happy future. And NOTHING was going to stop her from having it.


	2. Chapter 2

S5:E6 – Scene 2

Vera looked out the window down into the sunny exercise yard filled with H and J Block inmates. "Three weeks!" she thought as she smiled. It felt like a victory to go three weeks without a violent prisoner-on-prisoner incident. And Mr. Jones, the new chairman of the Board of Corrections, had actually sent her an email commending her and her new Prisoners Council. The women had made several interesting suggestions to help relieve the tension left over from the riot and the long lockdown including a drama club, church services on Sundays, and a Halloween dance.

The dance was tomorrow night and her mixed feelings kept her head spinning. School dances were miserable and her mother kept forcing her to go even though she begged not to. Her dancing dress was a baby blue hand-me-down from her mother that was too big and too frilly. She couldn't leave because her mother would sit outside of the gym the whole night waiting for her. So she started bringing books and escaping into the stairway where she'd sit and read while the music pounded on the walls around her.

She had Linda schedule extra guards for tomorrow's evening shift just to be safe but the way things were going, she wasn't expecting any major problems. The women on the Prisoners Council had assured her that the inmates would be on their best behavior.

A movement in the yard caught Vera's attention. Allie Novak had joined the drama club and a small group was in the far corner rehearsing a story she had written. She was glad that Allie was finally starting to step out of her self-imposed separation from the other H Block inmates and she had a feeling that it was partially due to Liz Birdsworth, who had also joined the drama. Vera had to smile as Allie and Liz were practicing their Charlie Chaplin walk and Allie couldn't stop giggling. Vera scanned the yard and found Bea Smith sunbathing on the grass with one arm thrown over her eyes. She knew that prison romances seldom ever worked out but a part of her still hoped that these two would find their way back to each other. They had fought so hard to be together. Both had nearly died and it seemed such a waste, particularly when others had lost before they had the chance. Vera pushed back the knot in her throat and brushed away the tears that welled in her eyes. It still seemed so unfair that she had had so little time with Fletch and these two were wasting the precious time they had.

She continued watching the yard when her eyes fell on the tall woman sitting on the bench by herself. Joan was still, like a manikin, her hands on her knees, her eyes constantly scanning the yard. Vera smiled as she imagined that if she was close enough, she could hear Joan's mind running like a computer. At that moment, Joan looked up and saw Vera smiling at her. The older woman smiled back and she raised a hand and waved it ever so slightly. Without any hesitation, Vera lifted her hand and placed it on the window pane. It was warm from the sun and the when she touched it, a wave of heat rippled through her body and her cheeks flushed red. Then Vera noticed the oddest thing happen: Joan Ferguson lowered her head and actually seemed shy.

A knock on the door took her attention away from the former governor and she turned to see Linda step in with a stack of folders. "Here are the files of the ministers that are approved by the Board. Four men and one ex-nun, and one that Bridget had on her list of resources. I ran a background check and she's clean."

Vera opened the manila folder and scanned the resume. A Masters in Social Work, a Doctorate in Divinity, practicing Buddhist, and an assistant pastor at a church in St. Kilda. "She looks good on paper. Let's schedule a meeting," Vera suggested as she handed back the folder.

"Next Monday?" Linda asked.

"Let's make it Tuesday just in case."

"Are you expecting trouble at the dance?"

"I'm not expecting it but I AM preparing for it. It's been quiet and smooth for three weeks. It's hard to believe that someone isn't plotting… something."

Linda shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't seen or heard anyone complaining. No one wants to risk that council coming down on them – with the holy trinity – they're too afraid to try anything."

Vera laughed, shocked. "The what? The holy trinity? What's that?!" she asked incredulously.

"Bea, Kaz, and Ferguson. The holy trinity… well, some say the holy 'fucking' trinity, but I think that's implied. No one wants to mess with any of them now that you've teamed them up."

"I did what?" Vera kept laughing and shaking her head. "Bridget said it was Bea's idea. I just used it."

"Yeah. Well, at the time, Bea probably wasn't expecting you to tame The Freak and then put her back in gen pop."

"I didn't tame Joan!" Vera answered, exasperated.

"Well, I for one, hope you did. A tame Freak is a really big gun on our side."

"Linda," Vera paused trying to find the right words. "We don't need Joan Ferguson to be on our side. She is an inmate. Never forget that. You and I will run this prison the best way we know how and make it the most successful facility in the country. And we won't do it with the heavy hand of Joan Ferguson. If we treat these women with respect, they will respect us and each other."

"Righto! Respect." Linda waved the folders at her as she backed out of the office and closed the door. "I'd rather have a tame Freak," she whispered to herself as she walked down the hall to her office.

Vera turned and walked back over to the window. She looked down and found Joan still sitting on the bench. Joan turned her head toward the window and when she saw Vera, she gave her another smile, which grew a little larger when Vera smiled back.

A movement over on the grass grabbed Vera's attention and she watched as Bea jumped up and brushed herself off before walking back into the prison. She looked at Allie and watched as sadness pushed away the playfulness. "Ah," Vera thought to herself. "So it's all an act. Maybe she still cares. Maybe there's hope for them yet. Maybe they just need a little push."  
************************************************

Bea had to get out of there! She needed to stop hearing Allie's laugh – so close yet so far. She pushed into the dimly light hallway and started walking back toward H Block, going faster and faster, nearly at a run until a prison guard told her to walk. She made it back to the empty cell block and stomped into her cell, slamming the door behind her. Screaming, she pushed the books off the shelf, clothes went flying, and toiletries smashed against the window. She grabbed her mattress, the one they had shared, the place where they had made love; she lifted it over her head and slammed it back onto the frame over and over. She had given everything to everyone else! She had lost everything! In all her life she never asked for anything! She never wanted anything! Except for Allie.

She slammed the mattress down again but her hand lost its grip and slid down across the bedframe and it sliced a long gash from her hand and past her wrist. The searing pain shot up her arm and she screamed in agony. She pulled her hand up and saw the open gash and was surprised that there was no blood. Then suddenly the blood came flowing in waves with the pace of her heart.

"Shit!" Bea grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her hand and rushed down the hall toward the Medical office. Six stitches and a mental review later, she walked back down the hall shaking her head at her own stupidity. "I wasn't trying to kill myself," she had to repeat over and over, and she was still saying it in her mind as she walked into the showers. She still had blood all over her and she didn't want to walk back into the cell block and have everyone fuss over her for something so stupid.

She didn't see the woman in front of her until it was too late. She bumped into the larger woman and her clear plastic shower bag went sliding across the floor, its contents spewing out across the tiles. The big woman turned around, her fluffy pink robe dangerously open.

"You!" the woman growled. She grabbed Bea by the neck before Bea could apologize. "You!" she growled again. "It was you who got Juice in trouble. I should snap your neck right now."

As the air was cut off, Bea slapped at the thick arm holding her. She tried to apologize for bumping her but couldn't get any words out. The woman punched her in the stomach with her other hand and then tossed her across the floor. Bea put her hands out to keep herself from crashing into the wall but when she hit the wall, the stitches tore open and pain and blood poured from her hand. She was sliding so hard that she banged her head on the wall and everything began to grow dark.

Bea heard the door open and the large woman shout, "Get out!" but she didn't see who had come and gone. She hoped it was someone willing to go get her some help.

It was Chrissy, the young blond woman from C Block, and when she saw the woman in the pink robe and Bea lying on the floor bloody, she took off toward H Block, ignoring the guards warning to slow down. She got to the gate and slid to a stop, grabbing the metal frame and swinging into the room. She was shouting even before she had stopped moving. She kept moving until she ran into and then bounced off of Maxine.

"It's Bea! In the shower! There's blood everywhere!" Chrissy shouted.

Before Maxine could ask what was going on, Allie burst from her cell and took off down the hallway. She hit the shower room door so hard that it banged against the wall and bounced back at her but she put a foot out to stop it from hitting her. The pink-robed woman was gone and Bea was huddled on the far side of the room, blood dripping through the bandage on her wrist and from the gash in her forehead. She was unconscious and Allie kneeled beside her and tapped her face to try to wake her.

"Bea? Bea, wake up." She pleaded. "Come on, Bea. Wake up. Don't leave me!"

Bea's eyes fluttered open and Allie pulled her into an embrace and rocked her. Maxine smashed through the door followed by Linda Miles and Linda called for the nurse on her radio. It felt like just seconds had passed when the nurse arrived with two attendants pushing a gurney. The nurse checked to make sure it was safe to move Bea and then, with the help of the attendants, put her on the gurney and wheeled her out of the shower room. Linda followed and left Maxine and Allie alone.

Allie was shaking so hard that Maxine went over to her and held her. Allie grabbed onto Max's shirt as she sobbed.

"I can't lose her, Maxie. I can't. There was so much blood. There's always blood. It's like she's a little one-woman blood factory and every time she gets hit, whoosh, here's a blood package. I kept telling her to be careful. I told her not to go to the showers alone. I can't lose her. I love her, Max. I can't be here without her." She rambled as she cried and Maxine just held her, rocking her, telling her that everything would be alright.

Kaz and Chrissy were there when they turned to go.

"What are you going to do?" Allie asked angrily, more towards her friend Kaz than the young woman.

But it was the young woman who answered. "She will be brought to justice."

Allie smirked at her. "What does that mean? A week or two in the hole. I fell in love in the hole, it's not all that bad."

Chrissy looked at her seriously. "I don't know what that means but I will discuss it with the Council. I will ask you not to take matters into your own hands. That's what we're trying to stop and we can't have Bea's woman breaking the rules."

Allie was speechless. "I… Bea's…" She looked at Maxine and then at Kaz, who was trying hard to not laugh. "Who are you?! What are you doing here?"

Chrissy looked confused. "I found them." Then she thought she understood the question and stuck her hand out and smiled. "I'm Chrissy. Councilor from C Block. It's nice to meet you, Allie."

"You know me?"

"Everyone knows you. You're Bea's woman. Protected by The Freak. And friend of Kaz." With that, she patted Kaz's arm.

Allie was flabbergasted. "Everyone knows…" She looked at Maxine, who just shrugged. "Protected by…"

That was almost too much to take in and she looked at Kaz, who looked at her and pointed at herself.

"And friend of Kaz," Kaz mouthed silently, barely stifling her laughter. Allie could feel Maxine's body shake with laughter.

"What are you doing here? Why are you in Wentworth?" Allie asked the young woman who looked like a high school cheerleader.

"Oh, that. I shot my boyfriend," she said almost cheerfully. "He beat me up after finding me and my girlfriend in bed. So I shot him." Chrissy pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm going to go check on Bea. Do you reckon y'all wanna come?"

"Sure," Maxine answered. "We're right behind you." She wrapped an arm around Allie's shoulder. "Coming?"

Allie looked a bit scared but nodded and wrapped an arm around Maxine's waist. They walked up to Kaz and Allie put her free hand out and Kaz took it. The three women walked down the hall that way until they got to the Medical block. Allie looked in the window but couldn't go inside. Allie had been so afraid when she saw Bea lying on the shower room floor, still and bloody. It felt like all the other times when everyone was against them and all they had was each other. Seeing her alive, there, now, all the anger of being lied to left her, all she wanted now was to touch Bea and feel her alive in her arms.

Bea was talking to the governor and Miss Miles. The nurse walked up to them, said a few words and motioned towards the window. Bea looked up and saw Allie standing in the hallway with Maxine and Kaz. A bundle of emotions bubbled in her chest and her eyes said "please." But Allie didn't seem to know how to move, she didn't know what she'd say, or how they'd move on from the past. So, Maxine gave her a little push towards the door. And Kaz gave her a little push through the door. And as Vera and Linda walked out of the room, Vera leaned over and whispered, "take good care of her," and pushed her ever so slightly towards the bed, towards Bea. Allie looked at the governor, who gave her a wink as she pulled the curtain and closed the door.

Allie gave Bea a look of surprise. "I think the governor expects me to give you a roll right here."

Bea looked shocked. "What!?" she howled and they both laughed.

Bea shook her head as her laughter quieted into a smile, and the smile turned into a look that asked a thousand questions. And then she couldn't look at Allie at all and she looked down and studied her hands.

Allie took one step closer. "Bea?" she said in a broken voice.

Bea looked up and saw that Allie was shaking and she got out of the bed, ignoring the pain in her stomach, and wrapped her arms around her lover. Allie sobbed in relief as silent tears of joy rolled down Bea's cheeks.

"I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." They said in unison. "I love you." "I love you." They said together again. They stood there holding each other, all the words that needed to be said had been said.


	3. Chapter 3

S5E6 - Scene Three

The back of the hospital bed was raised with Bea leaning against Allie and Allie's arms wrapped around the older woman. Bea dozed on and off while Allie simply reveled in having her lover back in her arms. She found it hard to keep her hands still and she kept caressing the sweatsuit covered body lying on top of her. Never in her life had she wanted to touch anyone the way she wanted to touch Bea. She had spent five years as a prostitute and knew how to bring men to release but it never felt the way it felt when she made Bea shake and moan in ecstasy. She knew where to kiss, where to pull and nibble, where to touch to make her lover rise to her. Her mouth watered at the thought of kissing Bea. Her hands gently caressed Bea's stomach and arms. And she felt her body getting warmer and warmer with the thought of making love to the older woman.

"What are you thinking about?" Bea asked sleepily.

Allie stammered but couldn't answer her.

Bea turned on the bed so that she was facing Allie. "What is it?" Bea asked. "Have you changed your mind…about us?" Her voice cracked.

Allie slowly shook her head and found that she had a hard time looking at Bea. She was so close and Allie felt like she was about to burst with all of the emotions spinning around in her chest.

Bea reached up and put a hand on Allie's cheek. "Talk to me," she whispered. "Look at me, please. What's going on?"

Allie looked at her, sadness and longing in her eyes. "I've missed you so much." She started to cry again and Bea wrapped her arms around Allie and pulled her in tightly.

"I've missed you too. I'm so sorry. I've been an ass. I never should have lied to you. I should have told you everything." She leaned back so she could see Allie's blue eyes. "Forgive me?"

Allie looked into Bea's eyes and nodded her head. Bea's hand caressed Allie's cheek and she started to lean in to kiss the younger woman.

"You have a visitor," Peta Webb's voice interjected.

Bea and Allie sat up as the guard came closer. "Who is it?" Bea asked.

"It's Franky Doyle," she answered.

Bea started to get up. "Okay, I'll be right there."

"She asked to see Novak."

Bea turned and looked at Allie, who shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know anything about it," Allie replied.

"Well, let's go and you can ask her yourself," Peta ordered a little impatiently.

"Okay, I'm coming." Allie got out of the bed and straightened her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair. She turned back toward Bea. "I'll come and see you later, Red." Bea nodded and Allie ran her hand over Bea's hair. She pulled one of the curls and frowned. "You've let the red grow out." Bea gave her a smirk.

"Come on, Novak. I haven't got all day."

"I'm coming!" Allie replied and followed the guard out of the Medical block.

Bea watched them leave and then her eyes focused on her own reflection in the glass. She got out of bed and went to the sink and looked in the mirror. Her brown hair fell in long curls around her shoulders and only the tips had any traces of red.

Nurse Radcliff came in and saw Bea standing at the sink. "Back in bed, you. And stay there until we can make sure that concussion won't give you any problems. You really need to learn how to fight better. Your head and gut can't take that much more punishment."

She pushed Bea back toward the bed and made her lie down. She pulled up the teal sweatshirt and white t-shirt to reveal a dark purple bruise on Bea's stomach. She felt around with the tips of her fingers to see if the area was hard and to try to determine if she was bleeding internally but it was soft. Bea winced as the nurse pushed on the tender area.

"You need to listen to me," the nurse said as she pulled Bea's shirt down. "July, August, September, October," she ticked the months off on her fingers. "Four months since your intestines were ripped open. If you keep getting hit there," she placed her hand on Bea's stomach, "you could have a rupture and bleed out before anyone can help you. Do you understand?"

Bea looked at her and nodded; the realization of how fragile she was slowly sinking in.

"Good. Now, I'll have someone bring your pajamas and you'll spend the night here."

"But… I need to get back to my unit… I need to…"

"Uh uh. You're staying here and that's an order. Make me a list of anything you need from your cell and I'll have someone bring it." Nurse Radcliff handed Bea a pad of yellow paper and a pen and turned toward the door as Mel, Kaz's former second in command, was wheeled in by one of the new guards.

"Hi, Mel. I've got your Warfarin ready for you," the nurse greeted the young woman.

"Okay, Ms. Radcliff. Can't wait," she cheerfully replied. Mel put her hand out and the nurse placed a small plastic cup with a little blue pill on her palm. The young woman tossed the pill in her mouth and then drank the cup of water.

The guard asked the nurse if he could have something for his headache and she took him into the other room. When Mel thought she was alone, she let out a sigh and dropped the cheerful act. She spit the pill into her hand and crushed it, wiping the remnants on her pants.

As Bea watched she realized what the young woman was doing and wondered if it was her place to say something. She couldn't imagine what it was like to go from a healthy 25-year-old to being blind and stuck in a wheelchair. Perhaps this was the only freedom Mel had left and Bea wasn't sure she wanted to take it away.

"Got your list?" the nurse asked Bea as she walked back in. Mel turned her head towards Bea. The nurse looked over the list and nodded when she realized what some of the items were for. "Okay, but make sure you clean up when you're done."

"Sure," Bea said gruffly as she lifted herself back onto the bed.

"Hey, Bea," Mel greeted her.

"Hi, Mel. Feeling okay?"

"Great! I have my own private chauffeur!" she laughed. "Zoom, zoom! Let's go!" She spun the wheelchair in a pirouette and started rolling herself toward the door. The guard held the door open for her and she waved at Bea. "See ya around, Bea!"

"See ya…" Bea shook her head as the laughing girl pushed herself down the hallway.  
*************************

Allie put her hand on the door knob but didn't open the door. She hadn't seen Franky since just after being attacked by Joan Ferguson. The paroled top dog had visited Bea and Allie a few times but Allie still felt like Franky was more Bea's friend than hers. She also knew that Franky had visited Bea in the hospital after the riot; it was how Bea learned that Allie wasn't the one who had killed Kim Chang. But Allie wasn't sure why Franky wanted to see her now.

"Let's go, Novak," the dark-haired guard ordered, pushing Allie through the door.

Allie scanned the room and found Franky sitting at a table near the corner, her back facing the wall. "She still protects herself like she's top dog," Allie thought to herself. Franky stood up and smiled as Allie joined her.

"Thanks for coming," Franky said as she pulled out a chair for Allie.

"Thank you," Allie smiled shyly, not used to being treated like a school girl on a date.

"How are you? How's Bea? Would you like a candy bar or something to drink?" Franky asked as she sat down.

"I'm okay. Bea's in Med. Sure, thanks." Allie waited as Franky went to the vending machine and got her a couple of candy bars and a canned soda. She opened the soda but left the candy bars on the table unopened so she could share them with Bea later.

"Why's Bea in Med? Is she okay?"

"One of Juice's old mates jumped her in the showers. She has some bruises from being kicked in the stomach and a gash on her head."

"Is it really safe for her to walk around alone? And she needs to watch it. Her guts won't take a lot of beating. She could bleed out before anyone could save her."

Worry came over Allie as she realized that Bea might still be in danger, even from the smallest of attacks. "I'll have to keep a close eye on her."

"So you two have patched things up then?"

"Yeah. I realize that I could lose her at any time and I didn't want to waste the time we have. I understand that she thought she was protecting me by lying to me about punishing Kaz and keeping me out of the plan to bring down Sonia. But I should have been by her side during the fight."

"She was worried that you'd get hurt."

"Well, I would have had my throat slit if Ferguson hadn't shown up just in time." She reached up and ran a finger along the long thin scar on her neck. "And I still see… the library… and… the blood… and Bridg…" her voice trailed off.

"I know." Franky put a hand on top of Allie's. Something in the way Franky said that made Allie look up. Looking into her green eyes, the young woman wondered if there was another reason the former top dog understood how she felt. A guard passed by and cleared his throat. Franky patted Allie's hand and sat up a bit straighter.

Allie looked at Franky and smiled, feeling a change in the space between them. "Thanks," she said softly and Franky smiled and nodded. "So… was there something you wanted to see me about?" Allie asked, pushing a loose strand of blond hair behind an ear.

Franky leaned in and put both hands on the table and Allie leaned in too. "Yes. Bridget is coming home tomorrow." She whispered and then she wiggled her head. "Though no one knows we actually live together… except for Vinegar Tits." She smirked as Allie's eyebrows rose. "And I realized that I haven't been by to thank you."

Allie leaned back and started to get up.

"No wait, please!" Franky said too loudly.

Officer Webb turned toward them. "Keep it down, Doyle!" she ordered.

Franky waved a hand at her. "Yes, Miss Webb. Sorry." Then she turned back to Allie. "Wait!" she whispered. "Please." She put her hands flat on the table and Allie centered herself back onto the chair. "It's been really hard on Bridget. Kim sliced her up pretty badly. I had a friend check the police report and she told me what you did to save Bridget from being raped. I know you thought you killed Kim. And I know how that weighs on you. With the lockdown, I couldn't get here to tell you sooner so I went to see Bea in the hospital and told her, hoping that she would get the word back to you."

"She did," Allie said softly. "As soon as she got here. Thank you. It's still hard to believe. I remember feeling the knife but everything happened so quickly. And there was so much blood everywhere…" She stopped when she saw Franky wince. It was Bridget's blood. "I'm… I'm sorry."

"No. I get it. And If Bridget hadn't killed her, I would have." Allie could see in Franky's eyes the truth in that statement. "But you saved her from having it much worse. That's not something I want her to remember every time someone touches her. She's a good person and she's spent her life helping fuck-ups like me. She doesn't deserve that."

"I never thought of it that way. She just always seemed kind of snobby to me."

Franky laughed. "Oh yeah, she's a boarding school girl with a Porsche! But she has a good heart."

Allie laughed. "She sounds like a keeper."

Franky nodded. "She is." Then her face turned serious. "But I would walk right back in here if I could make Kim Chang pay for what she did."

"Shit!" Allie exclaimed and then looked around to see if any of the guards noticed. "You wouldn't know what to make of this place anymore. "The Freak being nice to everyone. Practically no gear to be found…not that I want any but some of the girls still need it to cope. And we're even having a Halloween party tomorrow night."

Franky looked shocked. "A Halloween party?! Has the governor gone soft?"

Allie leaned in closely. "They say she and Ferguson are gone on each other," she whispered. "Joanie makes big cow eyes every time Vera walks through the yard." Allie smiled mischievously and Franky let out a loud laugh.

"Keep it down, girls!" they heard Officer Webb shout.

Franky looked at Allie and shook her head as she smiled. "So… a Halloween party? Like with costumes and punch?"

"Well, everyone's trying to make something but it's mostly paper plate masks or Bowie and KISS faces with make-up."

"What are you and Red going to do?"

"I don't know. Bea and I haven't really spoken about it. And I've never been one for make-believe."

"Bullshit!" Franky whispered emphatically. "What about your stories? The Red Queen and her Consort. Pirates and dragons."

"Dragoons."

"OH! Well, that makes more sense! Bea said…"

"Bea told you about my stories?!"

Franky nodded. "Sure. She really loves them, even has some memorized and told them to me. She loves that you turned her into a swashbuckling pirate, kinda flirty like Johnny Depp. And you're her moll or princess or something. It's all very romantic."

Allie started to reply but was cut off by a bell and a voice over the speaker system. "Visiting hours are over. Inmates, please make your way to Door B. Guests, thank you for visiting today. The next visitor's day is next Wednesday from 2 to 4 pm."

Franky stood up and put her hand out. Allie took it and let herself be pulled up. "Allie, thanks for seeing me and thanks again for helping Bridget." Allie nodded her head. "And do me a favor…" Allie raised a questioning eyebrow. "Take care of Old Red. She's been through a lot of shit and really could use some happiness in her life."

"I will. And I'll tell her you called her old."

"Ah," Franky waved it off. "I've called her worse. And now that she's got you, she's like an old married woman anyway."

"And what are you?" Allie laughed.

"Me? Ha! I'm a HOT girl with a HOT chick!"

They laughed as the guards directed them in opposite directions.

When Franky got to her car, she pulled out her cell phone, scrolled through her contacts and waited for the call to be picked up. "Hey mate, it's Franky. Yeah? Fuck you too. I was there but you were with that chick from the grocery store drinking shots of Goldschlager… Ha ha!... See! I told ya so! Hey, do you still work for that costume store?... Man! How many jobs do you have?... Yeah, too right!... Do you still have any costumes left? I have an idea and I need some help… Sure, I'll be right over. Thanks, mate."

Franky took one last look at the tall brick walls topped with swirling masses of barbed wire. "Bye, Kim. You're lucky she killed you quickly. I'd have ripped you apart slowly for what you did to Gidget." She turned the car down the long driveway and waited for the light to turn green. "The Freak and Vinegar Tits. Oooh," she shuddered. "I wonder which one is the top in that relationship?"


	4. Chapter 4

**S5E6 - Scene Four**

As Franky left the costume shop, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"You die," the strange voice said.

She looked at the phone and didn't recognize the number. "What?!" Franky asked.

"You die. Kim dead. Now you die."

"I didn't have anything to do with Kim dying! She did that all on her own. She should have left Bridget alone."

"You die and that one die too."

"Fuck you! You stay away from her!"

"The one who kill Kim will die." The phone went dead.

"FUCK!" Franky rushed to her car. "Fuck!"

She pointed her car toward the rehab center, swerving and running red lights. She looked at every person who came near her car every time she was forced to stop. Every Asian man and woman she saw became a threat and she began to see her potential assassin everywhere.

"Fuck! I've got to get to Bridget!"

As she flew down the street, she could see a couple, an Asian man and woman walking across the street in front of her. The dark-haired man carried a long black bag and as she got closer, he swung it off his shoulder and reached inside. Franky pushed on the gas pedal, hoping to stop him before he could pull out a gun.

"No you don't, you mother…!"

Just as she got within a couple of car lengths, the woman picked up a child that had been walking beside her but had been blocked by the two adults. Franky slammed on her brakes and tried to stop but the brakes locked and she slid toward the intersection.

"Shit!"

The man looked up at the squealing car and dropped the long black bag as he pushed his wife and child out of the way. He tripped on the bag and tried to scramble away on his hands and knees. The car came to a stop and crashed into the black bag but just missed the man on the ground.

"Shit! Fuck!" Franky shouted as she jumped out of the car. She looked around to see if there were any other cars on the street and was grateful that no witnesses came over to them. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright? I'm so sorry. The brakes locked. Did I hit you?"Franky bent down and put out her hand to help him up.

"I'm okay," he said as he brushed himself off. "Are you okay?"

"Am I…? What?" She asked, surprised that he was just as worried about her. "Yeah, I'm okay." She looked at his wife and then at the scared little girl clutching her leg. "Are you okay?" she asked the child sweetly. The girl looked at her and then looked up and down her arms at all the tattoos.

"My mommy gets mad at me when I color on myself," she said.

"Yeah, mine too." Franky pouted a little and nodded at her.

The girl smiled at her and then hid her face behind her mother. Franky smiled at the young woman, who looked at her with a mixture of fear and curiosity. Franky recognized the look and gave her the full-on dimple treatment. The woman blushed and the said something to her husband in Korean that made him rush to pick up the black bag.

Franky turned as he lifted the bag and realized that it was only a baby cart for the little girl to ride in when she got tired. The handle had been broken and the bag was torn.

"Here, let me pay for that!" Franky insisted as she stuck her hand in a tight pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. She stuffed it in his hand as he tried to refuse. "Please. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you," he replied graciously. "Is your car going to be okay?"

"Piece of shit car. I'm going straight to the greaser who was supposed to have fixed it." Franky cursed at it like this was all the car's fault. "Are you sure you're are all okay?"

"Yes, yes. Thank you."

The wife shouted at him again and pulled on his shirt to get them all moving again. He tossed the black bag and cart over his shoulder but the torn bag ripped even more so he just tucked it under his arm and jogged off to catch up with his wife. She turned and looked at Franky one more time and the former top dog winked at her and gave her a big smile. The woman turned and pulled on her husband. Franky laughed as she listened to her continue to berate her husband in Korean as they walked away.

A car honked and Franky raised her arms. "Yeah, yeah! I'm going!" She banged on the hood of her car and then climbed in. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and let the adrenaline and shock ease away. She shook her head to clear it and then turned the key. She looked in the rearview mirror at herself.

"Fucking moron," she cursed at herself. "Get your head on and get in front of this." The car behind her honked again. "Yeah! Hold your fucking horses. I'm going!" She looked to make sure no one else was walking in front of her and then she continued toward the rehab hospital.  
*************************************

Franky hated hospitals. They were always cold, but not as cold as Wentworth. They always had a strange smell; but not as bad as Wentworth, which always smelled like someone had just mopped the floor with bleach and a moldy mop. And they were filled with sick people and at Wentworth, if you were the top dog and got sick, you were fair game to anyone who wanted to take you down. So getting sick was out of the question.

She tried to remind herself that this was a rehab hospital and not a regular hospital filled with old folks who had pneumonia, or children with cancer, or friends who got ripped open by former prison governors.

Bridget had been moved here a few weeks ago to help her deal with Kim's attack. It wasn't so much about the cuts, there were only a few visible scars left from the deeper cuts. It was more about healing emotionally. She had been tortured and berated throughout the night and nearly raped. She had to watch as one prisoner slowly bled out and died. And then she had to deal with the death of her assailant. As a psychologist, she knew that any one of these was a serious issue that would need serious grief counseling, but to have endured all of it was too great to manage alone, so she allowed herself to be admitted to the mental health ward. Daily counseling, group sessions, art therapy, and physical rehab were all meant to help her find a balance between the fear and residual pain, and the knowledge that the event was in the past and Kim was dead and would never hurt her again.

Franky stepped into the elevator and went to the fifth floor. She walked down the tan hallways lined with colorful paintings until she got to the second to last room. She knocked as she pushed the door open and Bridget looked up from a stack of papers in front of her.

"Hey, Baby!" Bridget smiled at her and climbed out of the bed. They met halfway and Bridget kissed her firmly on the lips and then hugged her tightly. When she noticed that Franky wasn't hugging her as tightly, she backed up and looked at her young lover. "Are you okay?"

Franky waved away the problem. "Yeah. Yeah. I had a ph… I had a problem with my car and it just rattled me a bit."

Bridget put a warm hand on Franky's cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It was just…" Franky shook her head and her bangs fell over her eyes. "I'm okay." Bridget brushed the bangs to the side and gave her a look. "Really. I'm alright. It just happened on the way here so I'm still a bit scattered." She looked at the papers on the bed. "What's this? Vera already sending you work?"

Bridget smiled and winked at her. "These are my discharge papers."

"What? I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

"Doctor Harris is going on his Spring holiday and he felt that one day early wasn't a problem." Something about the look on Franky's face made her wonder. "Is that okay?"

Franky looked at her and smiled. "Is that okay? I can't believe it! Of course, it's okay! It's fucking amazing!" Franky pulled Bridget into a bear hug and lifted her off her feet. "You're coming home!" She set her lover down and leaned back to look at her. "I've missed you," she whispered and then kissed her softly.

Bridget wrapped her arms around Franky's neck. "I've missed you too." She leaned in and kissed Franky softly and then pulled her lover tighter and let the kiss grow more urgent.

A cough at the door startled them and they jumped apart like two teenagers. "Hi, Franky."

"Dr. Harris. Thanks for letting my girl out."

"It's all on her. She's done the work and she feels like she's ready."

Bridget nodded. "I am. I'm ready to get my life back."

She took Franky's hand and the doctor smiled when he saw the look of tenderness in Franky's eyes. "Well," he smiled at the two women, "it looks like you've got support to help you with that."

"I do," Bridget nodded at him.

"Great. Is your paperwork signed?"

"Just one more…" She signed the last one, restacked them and handed them to him. "Can I go now?"

He let out a little laugh. "In a few minutes. We just need to process these and then you're all set."

He left and Bridget turned to Franky. "Where were we?" she asked as she pulled on Franky's shirt and resumed their kiss.

Some moments later, a young nursing assistant walked up with a wheelchair and tapped on the open door. "Miss Westfall… Oh, excuse me." Bridget motioned her into the room. "You're all set. Are you ready for your ride down?"

"Wow! That was fast!" they said together.

"We're here to serve," the perky girl replied.

"Do I have to ride in that?"

"Sorry. Hospital rules. Everyone gets a ride to their car. It's fun!"

"Come on, Gidge. Hop in so we can go home. Do you remember home? Hmm? That nice place in the burbies with hardwood floors, your favorite espresso machine, and that nice… big… bed."

"Ah! Yes! How I've missed my espresso machine." Franky wrinkled her nose at her and she laughed. She grabbed a plastic bag filled with "Get Well" cards, slippers, and her toiletries and plopped into the wheelchair. "High ho, Silver, away."

"Sorry. My name is April."

Franky found it very hard to stifle her laugh.  
***********************************

Franky shut the car door and smiled as Bridget looked up at her and winked. As she walked around the car, everything seemed to hit her all at once. Bridget was finally coming home but what would that phone call mean for them. She stopped before she opened the door and took a deep breath. She knew someone who could help her… if she was willing to pay the price.

She opened the door and as she got in the car, Bridget leaned over to kiss her. After the long kiss, Franky started the car and headed for home. She held Bridget's hand as they drove in silence and when they got to a stoplight, Franky pulled the hand to her and kissed it softly. Bridget let go and caressed Franky's cheek as Franky tilted her head toward her. Franky could feel her chest getting heavier and it became harder to breathe. "Was this what love felt like?" she wondered to herself.

Franky pulled into the driveway, turned off the car and then rushed around to the left side to open the passenger door. She put out her hand like a chauffeur to help Bridget up and grabbed the plastic bag. She walked Bridget in and set the bag on the floor next to the counter.

"Would you like some coffee or how about some wine?" She started toward the wine rack but Bridget caught her hand and spun her around.

"Right now, I just want you," Bridget answered, kissing her purposefully and slowly.

Franky allowed herself to be kissed and found that her chest was getting heavy again, and she couldn't focus on anything as her hands began to explore the small body in front of her. She squatted and wrapped her arms around Bridget's legs and then lifted her onto the kitchen island; a long, unobstructed counter at a perfect height for accessing sweet, tender parts of her lover's body.

Bridget pulled Franky's shirt over her head while Franky unbuttoned Bridget's white, silk shirt.

Bridget put her hands over Franky's to stop her from removing the shirt. "Shayne?"

Franky smiled as Bridget thought of their young, unofficial foster son. "He's working at the hospital tonight. He's going to be pissed that you came home and he wasn't here."

"It's probably for the best," Bridget purred in Franky's ear as she finished removing her shirt and dropped it on the floor.

Franky could smell the soft perfume on Bridget's neck. She gathered the blond hair in her hand and pulled it to the side as she kissed her lover's neck and nibbled her earlobe. She worked her way back down, tenderly kissing soft skin until she reached the spot between Bridget's breasts. She let go of Bridget's hair and, using both hands, slid her hands across the lacy fabric of the counselor's pale pink bra. Bridget inhaled as Franky's thumbs touched sensitive spots and she buried her hands in Franky's black hair and pulled her up so she could kiss her. While they kissed, Franky reached behind Bridget and unfastened her bra. Bridget let Franky go long enough so she could remove it and then resumed her kissing. Franky's hands caressed Bridget's back and slid down to Bridget's bottom and Bridget let out a low moan when Franky pulled her close, placing her body between Bridget's legs.

Franky ran her fingers along the edge of Bridget's pants around to the front and unbuttoned the top button as she kissed Bridget's neck, but when she got to the second button, Bridget stopped her. Franky looked at her and could see a look of fear in her eyes.

"Do you want to go in the bedroom?" She said as she started to lift Bridget off the counter but Bridget pushed her hands away.

"Stop." Bridget looked at long red lines on her naked arms.

"What is it?" Franky asked softly. "Are you worried about the scars? I don't care." She tried to kiss Bridget but was pushed away. "I want to make love to you." She reached up to caress Bridget's face but her lover pushed her hand away.

"Stop!" Bridget insisted and pushed Franky away with both hands.

Franky backed up against the refrigerator and held her hands up. "Okay. I'm stopping. What's going on?"

"I can't. I can't do this." Bridget jumped off the counter and scooped up her shirt. She put it back on but her hands were shaking so she couldn't button it.

"It's too soon. I get it. We can wait. Let's just sit down over here and we can talk." Franky walked over to the couch.

"No! I don't want to talk. That's all I've done is talk. I just want it all to go away!"

Franky walked up to her. "Okay. We won't talk," she said as she reached up and tried to hug her. "It's gonna be…"

"No, Franky!" She pushed Franky away. "Go away!"

"What?" the younger woman asked, confused.

"Go away! I want you to go away!" Bridget walked around the counter and turned away from her.

Franky waited a moment to see if Bridget would turn around but when she didn't, she picked up her shirt off the floor, put it on, and walked to the door. "Gidge?" she asked but instead of turning around, Bridget walked into the bedroom and locked the door.

Franky grabbed her keys off the table by the door. "Fuck!" she cursed as she walked out.  
**************************

Bridget woke up when she heard the car door slam and Franky cursed at herself for being too loud.  
She wasn't sure what kind of response she'd get if she met her drunk lover at the door so she decided to wait in their bedroom.

Franky managed to pinball her way from the car to the porch to the door, knocking over a planter along the way. She successfully got the key in the door after dropping it twice. When she opened the door, she flipped on the light and then immediately turned it off. She knew the path to the bedroom: from the door go around the couch and then make a left and go down the hall to the bedroom, or so she thought. She kicked off her shoes and then ran into the couch leg. "Shit."

She removed her jacket and tried to toss it on one of the kitchen stools but it missed by about a meter. She unzipped her pants and tried to pull them off but hit her head on the hallway wall. Bridget heard her whisper "ow" and started to get up just as Franky made it to the door. Franky pointed her head towards the bed and managed to make it around to her side just as her legs gave out. She sat there in black panties on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands, her shirt halfway unbuttoned, and one sock discarded somewhere in the hallway.

Bridget sat up and kneeled behind Franky, wrapping one arm over her shoulder and the other around her waist. She held her for a moment and then said, "I'm sorry."

Franky lowered her head and moved it slowly back and forth. "No, I'm sorry. I should have been there. I should have been there…" her body began to shake. "I should have been there to protect you." Bridget felt tears fall on her arm. The counselor held her lover and rocked her as she wept.

"No, Franky, no." She put her hand on Franky's cheek and tried to turn her so she could look into her eyes but Franky wouldn't look at her. She continued to cry with her hands over her face. Bridget put her head against Franky's and continued to rock her. "Franky, if you had been in there then you wouldn't be here with me now. And I need you here with me. I love you and I don't want to lose you. I'm so sorry. Everyone was worried about me and focused on helping me cope with what happened but we forgot about you. I know Kim was important to you. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now."

"I want to kill her. I want to cut her like she cut you." Tears started falling again. "But I can't… I can't… cuz she's already dead."

"I'm glad you didn't kill her Franky. I'm glad you couldn't. You don't need her blood on your hands; you don't need to see her face as she died. She was someone you cared about…"

Franky turned and cut her off. "No. I didn't." Bridget gave her a puzzled look. "I used her like I used everyone. I didn't know how to care; I couldn't. I only knew two things: anger and sex."

Bridget sat back against the wall and held Franky's hands. "What changed?"

"You." She paused a moment. "Well, mostly you. But before that Boomer… and maybe Red." Franky looked out the window and noticed how the moon looked like the spotlight in the north tower at Wentworth. She spoke slowly, trying to find the right words. "Boomer loved me unconditionally… even though I just used her… and I didn't protect her when Queen Bea had to…" She shook her head to try to remove the image of Boomer's hands in the steam press. "I could have stopped her. But I was thinking about myself. I didn't want to keep fighting with Queen Bea. And I didn't want to risk losing my chances of parole. So I just let her…"

Bridget understood that Franky wasn't going to finish that sentence. Prisoners don't lag. "And Bea? How did she help you?"

"I saw how much she loved Debbie… her daughter?" Bridget nodded that she knew who she was. "My mum never loved me like that. And it nearly killed her when Debbie died. It would have if we hadn't found her hanging from her cell door. She lost so much; but as top dog, she always did what she thought was best for the women, even with the Freak pushing her and me against each other. And that night, in the fire, she could have left me there but she pulled me out. In spite of everything she's lost, she's still a good person."

"Like you."

Franky nodded. "I didn't believe that. I was never good enough for my mum and I thought that meant that I wasn't good. And every time she punished me, I was reminded of that. But you made me wonder if… maybe… I was looking at myself through her eyes, through her anger."

Bridget nodded. "We all do that. The trick is to remove those filters or lenses that others use to see us."

"That's hard. Sometimes I still hear Liz telling me I'm just a scared kid and I think she right."

"It's normal to feel scared some of the time. It means you care about something and you're worried about losing it. It's one of the echoes of loving."

"I like that. What do you mean 'one of'?"

"Well, I think that if it's a healthy relationship, then we should also feel joy and hope. I've had relationships where I never saw a future with them. Everything was day-by-day but I didn't see myself with them twenty years, or ten years, or even five years down the road." Bridget sat up and looked at Franky and she waited until her inebriated partner was able to focus. "You're the first person in my life I ever imagined growing old with."

The tear that ran down Franky's cheek said so much more than words could have.

Bridget wiped away the tear and kissed her softly on the lips. "Come here," Bridget said as she snuggled down under the covers. Franky turned and rolled into Bridget's arms and fell asleep before Bridget could say goodnight.  
******************************

The ringing of the cell phone woke Bridget and in the darkness, she reached for it, swiped it open without looking and put it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Kim dead. Now you die."

"What!" Bridget sat up, fully alert but the caller had already hung up.

Franky rolled over and looked at the phone in Bridget's hand. "What's going on?" she asked groggily. Bridget showed her the phone, too shocked to say anything. Franky looked at the artwork on the cover. "That's MY phone."


	5. Chapter 5

**S5E6: Scene 5**

"What's going on, Franky?" Bridget asked. "Do you know about this?"

"I got a call earlier. All they said was that because Kim was dead, I would die." Franky looked at her worried lover and hesitated.

"And?"

Franky grimaced. "And the person who killed Kim will die."

Bridget got out of bed, turned on the lamp and put on her robe. "We've got to warn Allie! And tell Bea! Maybe she can protect her." She picked up her cell phone and started walking towards the closed bedroom door.

"Wait! We can't tell them." Franky put up her hands to stop her lover.

Bridget turned and looked at her. "Why?"

"Because I told them that Allie didn't do it."

"Why would you do that?!"

"Because she doesn't need that blood on her hands. Kim was my problem and she hurt you because of how I treated her. Allie doesn't need to get caught up in the middle of that too."

"Who does she think killed Kim?"

Franky chewed the inside of her cheek and gave a petulant look to the counselor.

"Me." "You." They said together.

"Franky!" Bridget shouted. "How could you!?" Bridget took a step toward her and then backed up to give herself some room. She turned and tried to clear her head. Franky thought it was best just to stand there and let her think. "What about me? Weren't you worried about what I'd think?" she finally asked as she pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

"Well, you know YOU didn't kill her."

"But… I…" Bridget just shook her head, not really sure what to say. "We have to go to the police."

"And tell them what? An untraceable voice with an Asian accent is threatening me, my partner and another prisoner, neither of whom I'm supposed to associate with." She raised her hands. "Then they WILL put me back in and we'll all be sitting ducks for the Asians, the Freak and anyone else who wants payback."

Bridget shook her head. "Shit."

Franky walked over to Bridget and took her hands. "I will take care of this. I can make this right. I promise."

Bridget looked at her. "Do I want to know how?" Franky shook her head. Bridget stood there shaking her head as she tried to decide what to do. Finally, she shook the phone at her partner. "Okay, but if you can't fix this then we go to the police. Deal?"

Franky nodded. "Deal."

"And you have to warn Bea."

"Deal," Franky agreed as she took the phone and put it on the nightstand. She pulled her lover toward the bed. "Tomorrow. Now, come back to bed."

"Franky!" Bridget sighed, exasperated. "I can't sleep now!"

"We don't have to sleep," blue-green eyes twinkled as she leaned in to kiss the blond woman's neck.

******************************

Allie wasn't asleep either. After her visit with Franky, she had kitchen duty for the three dinner shifts and then her group therapy session, mandatory for everyone involved in the riot. She tried to convince Officer Webb to let her stay with Bea but since she wasn't critical and the nurse had already gone home, the grumpy officer sent her back to H Block for the night. She tried to go to sleep but kept thinking about their reunion. Could they get back to where they had been before? So much had happened to them; so many forces seemed to be working to keep them apart. When were they going to be able to just live their lives and have a little garden with tomatoes, and spinach, and pumpkins. The thought of Bea wanting to grow pumpkins made Allie smile and she imagined her lover in the yard with a sun hat and gloves with little flowers on them surrounded by bright orange pumpkins. Then at night they would cuddle together on the couch and read until lights-out.

Allie flushed warmly. She missed making love to Bea. Her lover enjoyed giving pleasure as much as receiving it and Bea surprised her with a passion and creativity she didn't expect from someone in their first sexual relationship. Well, except for Harry. "That bastard," she thought to herself. The flush turned to anger as she thought about how he beat her, abused her, and even raped her. He never appreciated the amazing woman that Bea Smith was and she was glad he was dead and gone. "Bea should always know how much she is loved," she whispered to the teal walls.

At that moment, Allie stood up and grabbed a few things off the shelf and walked across the unit to Bea's cell. She opened the door and stopped to look around. The pencil drawings of herself, Debbie, and the other women in the unit were tacked to the corkboard. Her clothes and toiletries were neatly placed on the left side of the shelves. The right side, Allie's side, was bare. Her pencils and sketch pad were on the desk. And her bed was neatly made with her red blanket folded at the foot of the bed. Allie put her things in their places and sat down on the bed. She pulled the red blanket to her and hugged it.

She looked up as the door opened. "Bea?" Allie asked wishfully.

"No. It's just me, love," Liz answered as she walked in. "Are you okay?"

"I've been stupid, Liz. Stupid and selfish." Liz stepped in and waited for her to continue. "I should have talked to her about what she was planning. I should have stood with her instead of walking away. I should have trusted her instead of leaving her."

Liz looked around at the clothes on the shelves and the second toothbrush in the cup. "And now?" she asked quietly.

"I'm coming home."

Liz smiled widely and nodded her head. "Good for you, love. Good for you." Allie smiled back at her. "I'll leave you to it then. Do you need anything?"

"No, thanks. I'm good."

"Righto. Night then."

"Good night, Liz."

Liz left and closed the door behind her as Allie kicked off her slippers and curled up on the bed, holding the red blanket to her chest. 

The anticipation was electric! Everyone was talking about the party. After the breakfast shift, kitchen workers started making cakes and putting together snack trays. Allie had been assigned to kitchen duty and had spent most of the day making and decorating cakes with purple spider webs, orange moons, and blue tombstones.

At noon, an announcement went over the intercom that all but essential work duties would be canceled after third lunch so everyone could have the afternoon to get ready. The days had been dry for the last week and the temperature was expected to be in the low 20's, so Vera decided to have the party outside in the yard. She organized a crew to hang lights and streamers and put up tables. And the women hung paper witches and black cats they had made in the arts and crafts class.

Vera was called at 1:00 p.m. and was told that there was a delivery for her. She went to the loading area to find a large white truck unloading racks and racks of costumes.

"Wait a minute!" She ordered. "I didn't order this! This is NOT in our budget! Who placed this order? We can't keep these!"

"Here's the invoice, ma'am," the young man handed her a three-part order form. "It's all set. Paid and delivered. If you'll just sign on the line where you received them, I'll be back tomorrow to pick them up." He held out a Bic pen and clicked it three times.

Vera looked at the signature at the bottom of the invoice and shook her head. "Why that…!" She looked up at the young man, who held out the pen towards her. She shook her head and took the pen from him. "Thank you," she said as she signed next to Franky's name and then gave him back the pen. He clicked the pen three times and put it back into his shirt pocket and she stepped aside while he finished unloading.

She looked at Officer Murphy and frowned. "Get a team down here, please, Miss Murphy. Every one of these costumes must be checked for contraband before they can be distributed." Brenda sighed and pulled her radio off her belt. "Bloody hell," she whispered as she ordered every available guard to come help her.

As they started rolling the racks into the visitor's center so they could spread out, Vera noticed a black garment bag with a red tag. She looked at the tag and then unzipped the bag, smiling as she saw the costumes inside. She pulled the garment bag off the rack and draped it over her arm and as she left the loading area, she stopped Miss Miles.

"Linda, would you bring Maxine Conway to my office, please?"

"Yes, Governor."

Late in the afternoon, Allie put the finishing touches on the last cake and handed it to a waiting guard, who took it to the yard. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and then wiped blue icing off her hands as she rushed to the cafeteria, hoping that all of the costumes hadn't been taken. She was crushed to find that most of the racks were empty and there were only a few odds and ends left.

She pulled a costume off the rack. She put the long, pink ears on her head and looked at her reflection in the metal refrigerator. There was more of her teal uniform showing than the pink fur in the bunny bikini. "I'll save that for the bunnymoon." She said as she put it back on the rack. She ran her hand over several other costumes as she read the tags: Elsa from Frozen, Yogi the Bear, Striped Prisoner, Nun, a child-sized Dalmation Puppy, and an Amazon Warrior. Allie stopped to look at that one and ran her thumb over the ornate headband. "I wonder if Bea would like that one?" But then she noticed how short the skirt was, and that the top was only a leather bikini. "Nah, she'd never wear that. Too skimpy."

She turned as Boomer and Maxine stormed in.

"See! I knew there'd be nuthin' left when we got here." Boomer complained. "All the best cossies are gone and nuthin's gonna fit my fat arse! Why'd they have to ask me to help them move tables?!"

"Now, we'll find you something, Boomer," Maxine assured her. "And everyone has been helping today. I even saw the Governor and Officer Ford working on the music system."

"Yeah, but there's nuthin' left now…" Boomer stopped mid-sentence and put her hand out slowly. Reverently, she removed a costume from the rack and held it up.

Maxine and Allie looked at each other and then looked at Boomer. "Boomer?" Maxine asked. "Are you alright?"

Boomer nodded, not able to keep her eyes off the costume. "This one."

Maxine tilted her head. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Boomer whispered. "I'm sure."

They turned as Mel rolled in and let out a string of curses. "I bet the damn thing's empty, of course!"

Maxine and Allie watched as Boomer focused on helping Mel find a costume, her own costume safely tucked under her arm.

Allie sighed. "I guess I'll just paint some whiskers or something."

Maxine looked at her and smiled. "Oh! I already have YOUR costume." Then she laughed as she wiped some blue icing from Allie's cheek.

"What?!" Allie asked, surprised.

"Yes. It came especially for you. The Governor said it was from Franky."

"Franky? Why would she do that?"

Maxine grabbed her hand and they walked back to H Block. "Come on. I'll show you." And they left as Boomer suggested the Elsa costume and they heard another string of curses from Mel.

*************************

Bea let out her own string of curses as the prison van bounced over a pothole. She was tired, frustrated and her head still hurt despite the pain pills they gave her at the hospital. Nurse Radcliff had requested an emergency CT scan when Bea complained of a headache and admitted that she had them constantly since her attack by Juice that left her with a concussion and Mel in a wheelchair.

She asked that no one know where she was going and she was quietly taken to the hospital, where they waited and waited and waited. Prisoners didn't get priority, even ones with possible brain trauma. Now, it was dinnertime and she was getting hungry too.

When the prison van got back to Wentworth, Vera met them outside. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Hungry. I just want to eat something and go to bed."

Vera led her inside to the examination room. "Well, that's unfortunate. The party is tonight and I think you'll want to go."

"Nah. I'm not really into parties," Bea said as she started to undress.

"Well, I think you will be interested in attending this one," Vera said as the guard examined Bea for contraband that all of them were sure wasn't there. "Thank you, Miss Webb. That will be all." Peta nodded and left them alone in the room. "Did they tell you anything after the CT scan?"

"Not really. Only to stop getting hit on the head," she said with a smirk that made Vera smile. "And then they gave me a prescription for pain meds. They faxed that to Nurse Radcliff."

Bea started to re-dress herself but when she reached for her teal sweatpants, Vera stopped her and pointed to a black bag hanging on the back of the door.

"What's that," the prison top dog asked.

"Your costume for tonight."

"Governor, I'm not really one for Catwoman costumes."

"Oh, I think you'll like this one. Try it on," Vera urged her.

Bea walked over to the door in her white, prison-issue undies and bra, and unzipped the long garment bag. When she saw what was inside, she turned to look at Vera. "What? How?"

"Franky," Vera answered. "She sent over a whole truckload for the inmates. And she requested that you specifically got this one."

Bea smiled and removed the soft, white shirt from the bag. Fifteen minutes later, she was fully dressed and the fatigue had been exchanged for excitement.

The evening was perfect. Stars twinkled in the sky. Tiny white lights made the yard glow softly and a string of Christmas lights boxed off the basketball court as the dance area. There were games in one corner. Tables filled with snacks and sweets lined the wall. And a big bowl of punch with large chunks of rainbow sherbet stood in the center of the yard. It was the biggest gathering of the prisoners since the riot and Vera prayed that it would go off without anyone getting killed. She also had every prison guard working just to be sure.

Bea walked beside Vera as they went down the corridor and into the festive yard. Disco music played but no one was dancing. Vera patted Bea on the back as she headed toward a group of guards near the outer gate and Bea smiled at her and said: "thank you." As she reached the punch bowl, Liz and Doreen joined her. Liz was dressed as Charlie Chapman and Doreen was in a slinky black leotard and had made leopard ears and tail.

"Bea! Look at you!" Liz exclaimed. "Don't you look gorgeous!"

Bea looked down at her costume. "You think?"

"Sure," both Liz and Dors answered.

"You're the handsomest pirate I've ever seen," Doreen said. "Well… you know what I mean."

"Yeah, it's okay," Bea reassured her.

Bea was dressed in black pants and knee-high boots that folded over at the top. A white tunic with a stiff high collar was laced across her chest but it was so open that it barely covered her cleavage. And a wide black belt was loosely draped on her hips. A dark red velvet military jacket covered the shirt that matched her newly-dyed red curls. She had tried on the three-pointed hat but when it came down over her ears, Vera gave her a black cloth napkin that she tied around her forehead. Miss Miles gave her a small, colorful parrot that dangled on a chain from her ear.

Boomer came over pushing Mel and Bea nearly busted out laughing. Boomer was dressed in a Yogi Bear costume and Mel, dressed as a Dalmatian, was holding Yogi's head since Boomer wasn't allowed to wear it.

"Oi, Bea, you scrub up well," she said as they joined the group. "I like those boots. You reckon I could have them after the party?"

"No, Boomer. They'd be too small. But I can give you the box." Boomer laughed and everyone joined in.

"You really do look great, Bea," Liz added.

"Thanks," the top dog mumbled. The attention was getting to her so she turned and poured herself a ladle-full of punch. She drank two cups before she realized Maxine was standing next to her. She smiled at the tall woman who was dressed in what could only be a fairy godmother costume. Maxine laughed and bopped her on the head with her glitter covered star-wand, sprinkling glitter on her hair and over her shoulders.

"Haha! Are you my fairy godmother now, Maxine?" Bea laughed.

"No, I'm hers," she said as she turned toward the door. "Bippity boppity boo," she heard Maxine whisper.

Allie looked around until the group in the center parted and she saw her lover in the rich red velvet jacket, sailor's boots, and her hair fiery red. This was the picture in her head when she wrote her stories – the Red Queen – and she was immobilized. She watched as Bea turned toward her and she could see that her lover was equally affected by what SHE was seeing and it made Allie blush a bright shade of pink.

When Bea saw the woman she loved dressed like Cinderella, all the special effects she saw in the movies happened. Everyone disappeared. Everything was blurry except the woman standing across the yard. She felt light-headed and she pleaded with herself not to pass out. Maxine put a steadying hand on her back and then gave her a gentle push toward the angel waiting for her.

As Bea walked toward her partner, everything stopped. Kaz and the girls stopped their game of Pin the Penis on Fev. Vera stopped talking to the guards. All the groups of women scattered around the year stopped talking. Even Joan looked up from the shadows.

When Bea was within arm's reach, she put out her hand. Allie gently placed a trembling hand and Bea leaned down and kissed it softly.

"Hi," was all Bea could manage as she looked with wide eyes at the beautiful woman in front of her. She never imagined loving a woman this much – loving ANYONE this much. Allie could feel her hand trembling too. "You look… beautiful," Bea's graveled voice cracked with emotion.

Allie reached up with her other hand and twirled a strand of red hair that cascaded on Bea's shoulders. "You dyed your hair." Bea nodded silently. "Then will you tie this for me?" she asked as she pulled out a red ribbon from the pocket of her light blue gown. Bea took it and tied it around the wrist of Allie's outstretched hand.

"Would you pash her already! I want some cake," Boomer shouted at them and wave of laughter flowed through the watching crowd.

Bea flushed with embarrassment but she couldn't move. So Allie reached up and slipped a hand between her red hair and long, thin neck, and pulled Bea into a soft, slow kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled at the look on Bea's face: one of love, shock, and desire. No one ever looked at her that way and it made her knees weak.

Bea put her arm out and Allie let her guide them to the waiting group.

"Like a fairytale," Liz said dreamily. "How did you two manage to do that?"

"Franky," they said in unison.

"Well, that was right nice of her!" She looked up as Kaz and the other members of the Red Right Hand joined the group. "Don't you all look smart," she said. "Though I've never green Dalmatians."

"They're teal," Allie and Bea answered and then smiled at each other.

The women of the Red Right Hand were all dressed in their teal sweatsuits and they had added black paper spots.

"Well, were a team," Kaz replied. "And since Mel is a Dalmation, we thought we'd all be Dalmations."

"Good on'ya." "That was right nice." The H-1 family praised their allies.

"That was really sweet, Kaz," Allie said to her.

"We made some dots for you but we couldn't find you," Kaz answered as she held out a handful of differently-sized black dots.

"I've been in that kitchen making cakes all day! But I'll take some."

"Really?" Kaz asked.

"Sure!" Allie smiled at her and Kaz hoped it was dark enough that no one saw her blush.

"I want one," Boomer added.

"Me too," they all answered and soon all of the dots were distributed to the H-1 women as well.

Mel looked up at the space where she had heard Kaz. "Thank you," she said weakly.

Kaz put a hand on her cheek. "You're warm. Are you okay?"

Mel nodded and Boomer grabbed the handles of the wheelchair. "She just needs some cake," she said as they rolled off to the table of brightly-colored cakes.

"Try the one with the purple spider webs! It's strawberry!" Allie shouted after them.

"Ooh, strawberry?" Bea's eyes twinkled.

Allie laughed. "Come on," she whispered into Bea's ear. "I made a chocolate one with strawberry jam filling just for you." Bea looked like she was about to swoon again and Allie laughed as she pulled her towards the table.

Maxine watched as the women walked away and smiled. She jumped when Vera picked up a paper cup and ladled some of the fruit punch into it. "Thank you for this," Max said sweetly.

"Don't thank me. It was all Franky's doing."

"Yeah, but you could have refused the costumes. I know you had all the guards check them instead of sending them back."

"Well," Vera took a drink of the punch and grimaced. "I think we all needed some fun after everything that's happened. And maybe a little romance," she added as she looked off into the distance. She looked at the chunk of sherbet floating in her cup. "This is missing something."

"A bottle of vodka, perhaps?" Maxine suggested.

Vera laughed and shook her head. "The music. It's too low." She walked over to the table where the tall, bald guard, PJ Ford, was playing old disco records on an even older turntable.

When the music got louder, Maxine grabbed Doreen with one hand and Liz with the other. "Let's get this party started!" she shouted and led them to the dance floor.

PJ found the old movie soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever and he left the album playing and went to get a piece of cake and some of the punch, patting his pocket to make sure he had remembered the thin flask.

When the horns started playing, Allie jumped and clapped her hands. She started singing along and Bea put down her cake plate and clapped.

"Girl, to be with you is my favorite thing. I can't wait 'til I see you again. Yeah, Yeah. Uh huh. I wanna put on my my my boogie shoes," Allie sang in a voice that was more enthusiastic than in tone. She curled her finger at Bea and walked backward toward the basketball court, compelling Bea to join her. Bea laughed and followed her, dancing her way to the cement court. They sang and danced together, surrounded by their friends and the smiling guards.

Boomer stood beside Mel's wheelchair, dancing along to the music. She looked down when she felt Mel's hand touch hers.

"Hey, Booms, would you mind taking me back to the unit?" the small woman asked.

"You sure? The party is just getting started," she asked and wiggled her Yogi Bear hips.

"You could come right back if you want."

Boomer looked unsure about that. It didn't seem right to leave Mel alone while everyone else was at the party.

"Nah, it's all good. Come on," she grabbed the handles and spun her around. "I'll take you home."

Boomer pushed Mel over to the door and was stopped by Officer Webb. "Where are you two going?" she asked grumpily.

"I'm tired, Miss Webb. Is it okay if Boomer takes me back?"

"Okay. But you come right back, Boomer. Okay?"

"Sure, Miss Webb. Thanks. Ta!"

Peta opened the door for them and watched as Boomer pushed Mel down the hallway, her hips wiggling to the disco music. She smiled and shook her head as she listened to Boomer sing along. "Whew! I just wanna put on my my my boogie shoes and boogie with you."

When they got to the unit, Boomer started to push her toward her cell. "Do you want a cuppa or a biscuit?"

"Could we just sit for a bit? I'm really tired."

"Sure." Boomer pushed her over to the couch and when she realized Mel was too weak to lift herself out of the wheelchair, she began to get worried. "Should I call the nurse?"

"No. No. Please don't. I'll be alright. Can you just sit here with me?"

Boomer looked around for a guard to ask if she could stay but there was none nearby. "Sh…sure." She finally decided and transferred Mel from the chair to the couch. She sat down next to Mel, who leaned on her shoulder. "You know I'm not a lezzo, right?"

Mel punched her in the gut. "I know you're not gay, ya dickhead."

"Oh. Okay."

Mel found her hand and squeezed it. "But thank you for being my friend. I'm really glad we became allies and I didn't have to bash you."

Boomer looked down at the top of her head and smirked. "Yeah, right!" she said. Then she stopped and put her cheek on the girl's head. "I'm glad you didn't have to bash me too. I wouldn't want bruises on me knees." Her body shook with silent laughter when she got another punch in her stomach. "Keep trying, Mini Me. Ya might hurt me one day."

"Ha. Mini Me. Love it," Mel whispered and smiled as she drifted off. Boomer sat beside her, holding her hand, as the sleeping girl leaned against her and slept. After a while, silent tears began to fall when she realized that the girl's soft breathing had stopped.

"When you rise in the morning sun, and I feel you touch me in the pouring rain, and the moment that you wander far from me, I want to feel you in my arms again."

Bea reached out and pulled the blond woman to her and Allie fell into her embrace. The two women swayed to the music, not really dancing, just holding each other. Bea pushed the hair away from Allie's ear. "I've missed you so much."

"I love you." "I love you." They said together.

As the song ended, blue eyes, nearly purple in the dark, starlit evening, looked into chocolate brown eyes. "Take me home."

A soft smile answered her.

They walked hand-in-hand toward the door and Bea silently told Maxine that they were going back to the unit. Maxine smiled, nodded and gave her top dog a wink. Bea's smiling eyes spoke of love and Maxine's heart filled with joy. "At least she has this," the tall woman thought. "She deserves to be loved after it all."

As the lovers reached the door, Officer Webb put out a hand to stop them but a silent wave from Vera stopped her and she opened the door for them. They walked down the empty corridor, music softly thumping through the cement walls. Allie draped an arm over Bea's shoulder and kissed her ear. Bea wrapped an arm around Allie's waist and the two women walked together to H-1.

When they got to the gate, Bea stopped. "What now?" she wondered. Allie took Bea's hand and guided her toward the cell on the right side: Bea's cell, their cell. As the door closed behind them, Bea looked at the things that had been returned to their places on the shelves.

"Can I come home?" Allie asked.

"Can you…?" Bea turned to face her lover. "In here…" she tapped her heart "…you never left." Then she reached up and softly pulled Allie to her and let her kiss say so much more than she could.

As their kiss continued, Allie gently pushed the black bandana off of Bea's head and dropped it on the floor. She ran her hands through the red hair and then she ran her hands down the front of the red velvet jacket, touching tender places that made Bea moan and deepen her kiss. Allie's hands slid inside the jacket and caressed her lover's back, pulling her in closer. Bea wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck and the two lovers reveled in just kissing and holding each other.

When Allie's leg shifted and slid between Bea's, the older woman moaned again. Allie's tongue explored and she kissed her lover's neck. And when her warm breath hit Bea's ear, Bea let out a low growl and wrapped her fingers in Allie's blond hair.

Allie let her hands drop down onto the roundness of Bea's hips and she hummed softly as they swayed together, their hips moving slowly side to side, their bodies craving to be touched. As Allie's lips found Bea's again, a shot of electricity traveled from Bea's mouth down to her legs and a fire grew inside her. She wanted! She wanted to touch and be touched! She wanted to explore her lover's soft skin. She wanted to kiss all the places that made Allie moan and rise to her. She wanted to bring Allie to the edge of the waterfall and join her inside and out as they soared over the edge.

Bea took a small step back to look at her lover and when Allie's eyes questioned her, she smiled. Bea reached up and touched her soft cheeks and lightly kissed Allie's bottom lip. Then she moved around so she could stand behind Allie, trailing a hand over Allie's sensitive breast. As Bea unzipped the long blue dress, Allie reached behind her, wanting to touch as much as be touched. Bea pushed the dress off of Allie's shoulders and as the dress fell to the floor, she slowly kissed along her spine.

Allie turned inside Bea's arms and stepped out of the dress, leaving herself standing there in front of her lover in only her soft pink underclothes. Then she reached up and pushed the velvet jacket off of Bea's shoulders and put both of the beautiful garments on Bea's desk. She looked at Bea and smiled mischievously. The opening of the white shirt was cut so low that she could see the creases of Bea's stomach muscles. Bea wasn't wearing a bra and Allie ran her hand from Bea's neck down between Bea's breasts until she reached cloth. She knew by instinct that just below the opening of the shirt was Bea's belly button and the long red scar from Ferguson's attack and the surgeries that repaired broken parts and saved her life. Allie leaned in and kissed the place between her breasts as she unbuttoned the five buttons on the front of the black pants. She gently pushed Bea down onto the bed and kneeled down to remove the tall boots. And with Allie there between her knees, Bea softly caressed Allie's cheeks and pulled her into another kiss.

Allie slid her hands inside the back of the black pants and squeezed as she pulled Bea toward her. Bea reached up and unclasped Allie's pink bra and caressed her back as they continued kissing. As the air between them continued to get hotter, Bea stood up and pulled Allie with her. Allie's underclothes were pushed off and dropped to the floor. And Allie pulled the long white shirt over Bea's head and dropped it on the floor. Then she pushed the black pants and white undies down together and Bea stepped out of them and pushed them aside with her foot.

As the two lovers stood face-to-face and open to each other for the first time in many weeks, so many mixed feelings came over Bea: a heated desire, the constant question of would she be able to please her lover, gratitude for the Force who thought she deserved to be loved like this, and reminder that moments like this were fleeting – out there in the real world, yes – but especially here in Wentworth and she should make every moment she had with Allie count. As she pulled Allie back onto the bed with her, it was this thought that freed her to make love to the woman who loved her.

Vera yawned as she returned to her office. The party had been a success – no one had died. The women were headed back to their units for the final evening count and the costumes were being collected. She pulled her cell phone out of her desk drawer and scrolled through her contact list until she got to Bridget's name. She couldn't call Franky directly to say thank you but she knew where to find her.

Bridget answered the phone breathlessly as if she had been laughing. "Hi! How'd it go?"

"I have to say it was the best night of my career," Vera answered.

"That's great!" Vera heard Bridget laugh at something Franky was doing in the background. "Franky! Give me that back!"

"Come and get it, ya minx!" she heard the former prisoner reply.

Vera heard Shayne's deep voice in the background but couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Sorry, Vera," Bridget said to the phone. "Would you mind holding for a second?"

"No. No. It's okay," she answered.

"Hey, Gidget, Shayne needs to go to work. Where are the keys to the Porsche? You're parked behind him."

"They're in the bowl by the door."

"Hey! Give those back, ya wanker!" Franky shouted.

"It's okay, Franky. He can move it."

"Nah! He grinds the gears. I'll get him." Vera could hear Franky shout from outside.

She heard the car start and then the sound of the explosion blasted through the phone.

"BRIDGET!" Vera shouted at her phone. "BRIDGET!" But there was no sound from the other end. She continued shouting Bridget's name as she grabbed her desk phone and dialed 000.


End file.
